New lizard species found in Rajasthan, Mesalina’s first record in India

New Delhi ( Vivek Ojha) : A new species of lizard, Mesalina Bishnoi, has been discovered in Rajasthan, making it the first confirmed record of the genus Mesalina in India. The species was found near Gajner in Bikaner district and has been formally described by scientists from the Zoological Survey of India and other researchers.

The genus Mesalina comprises small, fast-moving, diurnal lizards adapted to arid and semi-arid landscapes. Although a historical reference by British zoologist Malcolm A Smith in 1935 mentioned the presence of Mesalina watsonana in Jaisalmer, no specimen-based evidence existed to confirm the genus's occurrence in India.

During a field survey conducted in August 2025, researchers collected a specimen from an open semi-desert habitat near Gajner. Detailed morphological examination and genetic analyses confirmed that the lizard represented a previously unknown species belonging to the Mesalina watsonana species complex.

Naming Mesalina bishnoi is our way of recognising the Bishnoi community's enduring commitment to wildlife and nature conservation,” said Dharmendra Khandal, co-author of the study.

The lizard is a small-bodied species with a snoutvent length of 39.2 mm. It displays a greyish to olivebrown colouration, marked by a pair of dorsolateral stripes extending from the neck towards the tail. Distinctive black markings occur behind the eyes, while the body bears irregulardark blotches interspersed with white spots, giving it a mottled appearance. The underside is pale grey to offwhite.